Survey of English Place-Names

Historical Forms

• Fernham 1086 DB 1201 1263 Ipm 1282 FF 1486 Eton

• 'Fernham by Hanley' 1405 Pat

• Ferneham 1086 1281 Cl c.1333 BMI 1553 Cecil

• Fernaam 1089 Pat 1371

• Vernham 1288 Ass

• Fernaham 1338 Pat

• Fernhaump 1412 FA

• Fern(n)am 1431 1475 Pat

• Farnham 1199 CurR 1261 FF 1280 Ass 1285 Cecil

• Farnham Deverel 1283 Cecil

• 'Farnham by Guss(h)ygge' 1432 Pat

• Farneham 1205 RC 1466 Weld2 1547 AD

• Farnam 1263 Ipm 1408 BMI

• Farenham 1288 Ass

• Gounvyle Farnham 1547 Ct

• Little Farnham 1829 EnclA

• Farham 1261 FF

• Ferham 1288 Ass

• Firnham 1283 Cecil

• Firnham Cary 1362 Pat

• Fyrnham 1324 FF

• Fornham 1314,1399 Cl

Etymology

'Homestead or enclosure where ferns grow', from fearn and hām or hamm , cf. Six. Handley par. infra , Gussage St M. par. supra . This p.n. occurs in several other counties, e.g. Farnham Ess 550, Fernham Brk 371. The affixes -Deverel , -Cary and Gounvyle - are manorial: Elias (de ) Deverel held a fee here in 1261 FF and 1314 Cl, Thomas Cary held the principal manor in 1357 Hutch3 (3 430), and Gounvyle - must be from the family which gave name to the adjacent par. of Tarrant Gunville infra .